1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to devices for dispensing liquids and solids. Specifically, this device is a portable isopropyl alcohol storage and dispensing unit in combination with a sterile swab storage and dispensing unit. This device is worn around the neck of the user, dipped to an article of clothing, or carried.
2. Description of the Related Art
The injection of fluids into the human body using hypodermic needles requires that the dermal region to be punctured be disinfected or sterilized. The current state of art in health care environments is to use an individually wrapped disposable swab andhat is usually pre-saturated with a disinfectant liquid such as isopropyl alcohol. To prevent cross contamination of patients, the swab used for the disinfectant process must be discarded after a single use. Environments where numerous injections are given on a daily basis such as a hospital, require that a large number of swabs and a large quantity of disinfectant always be on hand. Typically, swabs are individually wrapped in packaging that can be as voluminous as the swab itself, creating a high degree of packaging waste. Further, the person administering the injection will have to carry a large number of swabs around with them or arrange to have them stored in or near every hospital room. The same conditions govern the disinfectant supply which being liquid is even more difficult to transport. A further disadvantage of the existing art is that the swabs have a tendency to dry out fairly quickly due to the volatility of the sterilizing fluid, at times therefore requiring the use of more than one swab on a single patient. A fair sized hospital will use hundreds of swabs on a typical day, generating a large amount of waste, and a large expense. The present invention addresses these problems by providing sterile dry swabs and a user controlled amount of disinfectant fluid that is applied at the point of use, embodied as a single, portable unit.
This invention relates generally to devices for dispensing liquids and solids, and more specifically to a portable device for holding and dispensing a disinfectant liquid such as isopropyl alcohol from one section of the device, and holding and dispensing sterile swabs from a separate section of the device. The present invention provides a solution to the problems of storage, availability, and waste associated with the normal method of dermal disinfecting. The present invention is a unitary device that combines a storage and delivery unit for the liquid disinfectant, and a storage and delivery unit for sterile swabs. The device can be worn about the neck or clipped to an article of clothing. The liquid disinfectant is stored in a refillable container with a pump for delivering the disinfectant. A self-sealing membrane such as the type that is used on vials for delivery of injectable medications is provided for refilling the liquid storage unit using a hypodermic needle.
The swabs are stored in a spring-loaded cylinder that provides for individual delivery of the swabs, and allows them to be stored in a closed environment. Since only the swab to be immediately used is touched, the sterility of swabs is not compromised, and there is no need to individually wrap the swabs. The sterile cotton swabs may be stored in the unit such that there is no packaging separating them or a thin film of material to enhance removal may separate them. In either method, the necessary packaging is minimized.
An alternative embodiment of the invention contemplates using the portable disinfectant apparatus as a holder for the sterile swabs. A surface of the sterile swab would protrude from the apparatus, and the apparatus could be used much like a marking pen, the protruding surface of the sterile swab available to scrub the dermal region desired to be disinfected, the disinfectant apparatus supporting and holding the body of the sterile swab. The sterile swabs stored in the unit in this embodiment would be separated by sufficient solvent impervious material to prevent contamination of the unexposed swabs.
This invention therefore provides an apparatus for conveniently storing and dispensing a disinfectant liquid and sterile swabs. It also provides an apparats which minimizes the waste normally associated with the hospital disinfectant process, by supplying a refillable liquid storage and dispensing unit combined with a unit for dispensing sterile swabs that accommodates minimal packaging while maintaining sterility. This invention further provides a portable supply of swabs and liquid disinfectant that can be conveniently carried, worn about the neck, or clipped to an article of clothing.